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A World of Ferns 「蕨」无仅有

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When you walk through the forest, you will see a beautiful and peaceful scene. Proud tree trunks ___1___ overhead while colorful flowers dot the ground here and there. However, there is something less obvious that completes this picture. Filling in the gaps with rich splashes of green ___2___ ferns.

当你在林中漫步时，常会看到这样美丽而幽静的景致：挺拔的树干矗立，地上缀满五彩缤纷的花朵。不过，这幅美景还有一项较不起眼的元素，它们翠绿的色块填满花树间的缝隙－蕨类。

Ferns are one of the oldest types of plants in the world, ___3___ back at least 400 million years. During the Carboniferous Period, when most of the world’s coal was formed, the Earth was dominated by ferns. Later, large ferns were a major source of nutrition for the dinosaurs and the mammals ___4___ them. Early Asian peoples used ferns as a fertilizer, ___5___ they discovered that the plant’s ability to hold nitrogen would enable them to double their rice harvests.

蕨类是世界上最古老的植物之一，可以追溯至四亿年前。在石炭纪时期，当世界上大多数的煤矿形成时，蕨类是世界上最主要的植物。之后，大型的蕨类成为恐龙及随后出现的哺乳类动物主要的营养来源。早期的亚洲民族将蕨类做成肥料，因为他们发现蕨类植物中所含的氮元素，可以使他们种植的稻米产量加倍。

Traditionally, ferns were overlooked by gardeners ___6___ flowers or fruit trees, but a new generation is learning to appreciate these plants. Ferns are easy to care for and add a natural touch to any room. They ___7___ in a variety of shapes and colors. Some ferns have long, flowing stems and short, thick leaves, while others have light, feathery leaves. One of the most popular domestic varieties is the Boston fern, whose fronds can reach up to one meter in length. These plants can take over a desk or a corner of a room, giving it a wild feel.

传统上，园艺爱好者通常偏好花卉或果树而忽略了蕨类，但是新一代的园艺爱好者开始重视它们。蕨类非常容易照顾，而且可以为任何房间增添自然的色彩。蕨类有各种不同的形状及颜色。有些茎部细长飘逸，叶片却肥厚短小；有些则带有轻柔的羽叶。波士顿蕨是最受欢迎的室内蕨类之一，它的叶片长达一公尺，摆在桌上或房间角落，可以占据整个空间而增添一股原野的气息。

Vocabulary

单词发音

gap [gæp] n. 缺口﹐裂缝

nutrition [njuˋtrɪʃən] n. 营养

mammal [ˋmæm!] n. 哺乳动物

add a touch to 增添气息

a variety [vəˋraɪətɪ] of  各种各样的

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单词发音

fern [fɝn] n. 蕨，蕨类植物

proud [praʊd] adj. 壮观盛大的

dot [dɑt] v.（星星点点地）布满；点缀

here and there 到处,各处 at this place and that; from place to place

splash [splæʃ] n. 洒溅的斑点

Carboniferous [͵kɑrbəˋnɪfərəs] n.【地】石炭纪; adj. 【地】石炭纪的

fertilizer [ˋfɝtl͵aɪzɚ] n. 肥料

nitrogen [ˋnaɪtrədʒən] n.【化】氮

overlook [͵ovɚˋlʊk] v. 忽略

flowing [ˋfloɪŋ] adj. 平滑的

stem [stɛm] n. 茎，（树）干，（叶）柄

feathery [ˋfɛðərɪ] adj. 有羽毛的；被羽毛覆盖的

frond [frɑnd] n.（蕨类等的）叶

in favor of something 以…取代  because you prefer something

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If you are interested in learning more about ferns, you are in luck. With over 600 different species, Taiwan is a fern lover’s paradise! This level of ___1___ is remarkable when you consider that there are only 150 species in Europe, and less than 400 species in all of North America.

如果您有兴趣研究蕨类，那么您很幸运。台湾是蕨类爱好者的天堂，有六百多种不同的蕨类。与欧洲仅有一百五十种，北美全部不到四百种的蕨类相较，台湾蕨类植物的多样性更显突出。

This is ___2___ in part to the varying climates that exist across Taiwan. From the humid tropical lowlands to the cold lofty mountains, there are scores of different temperature and moisture zones. As a result, a range of different ferns grow across the island. Taiwan’s location also ___3___. Ferns spread their spores by air. Powerful winds from China, Japan and Philippines bring spores from far and wide. It is ___4___ that up to 90% of Taiwan’s ferns arrived by aerial migration.

这种现象部分归因于台湾各地多样的气候。从潮湿的热带低地到寒冷的高山，岛上有各种不同的温度与湿度区。因此，各地都有不同的蕨类。另一因素则是台湾的地理位置。蕨类的孢子藉由空气传播，来自大陆、日本、及菲律宾的强风带来各地的孢子。据估计，有高达百分之九十的台湾蕨类是经由空气迁徙而来的。

This incredible diversity is ___5___ great interest to scholars. Since the days of the Japanese occupation, many studies ___6___ to catalog and record the different species of ferns. The general public is showing an increased interest in these plants as well. Popular species can now be found in markets and gardens everywhere. ___7___ ferns have long been one of the “supporting characters” of the plant world, people are finally beginning to embrace their beauty and diversity.

这种惊人的多样性也引起学者们的注意，自日据时代以来，就有许多研究将不同的蕨类加以分类记录。而今，也有越来越多的民众对蕨类感兴趣，各地的市场及花店都可以找到常见的品种。虽然蕨类向来都扮演着植物界的「配角」，现在人们终于开始欣赏它们美丽而多变的风貌。

−by Michael Karanicolas

Vocabulary

单词发音

remarkable [rɪˋmɑrkəb!] adj. 非凡的

lofty [ˋlɔftɪ] adj. 高耸的

migration [maɪˋgreʃən] n. 迁移

incredible [ɪnˋkrɛdəb!] adj.【口】难以置信的；惊人的

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单词发音

lowland [ˋlolənd] n. 低地

score [skor] n. 大量，许多[P][（+of）]

spore [spor] n.【生】孢子

far and wide 四处地; 各处 everywhere

aerial [ˋɛrɪəl] adj. 空中的

is of great interest to somebody =is very interesting to somebody 引起..的兴趣

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